“The people report that a lot of water entered the lower deck of the drifting boat, forcing them to move to the upper one. So far, no rescue is in sight, and authorities are silent about any efforts to rescue this boat in acute danger. The people ask for immediate rescue!” the NGO tweeted.

It continued to explain that the boat’s engine stopped after a few days at sea at a point between Malta and Greece. The lower decks started to fill up with water and the passengers had to move up on top.

“The ~500 people survived one more night at sea. The situation is unchanged: their engine is still not working, and they are still adrift. They continue to urgently call for help. How long do they have to wait for rescue? We urge authorities to not further delay rescue efforts!” 

Meanwhile, another boat carrying 27 people is reported to be struggling with bad weather conditions near Libya.

Malta has often been criticised by Italian politicians and NGOs for failing to rescue people aboard boats in distress. UNHCR data shows that Malta has only rescued one migrant this year as opposed to 30,000 in Italy.

What do you think about the migrant situation?